WWE Backstage Reaction to Ronda Rousey's AEW Debut Reportedly Revealed After Revolution 2026

Fans watching the 2026 AEW Revolution pay-per-view on Sunday night were surprised when former UFC champion Ronda Rousey showed up, and her former wrestling promotion reportedly felt the same way.

Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer (h/t Steve Carrier of Ringside News) reported that while "a small number of people in WWE were aware" of Rousey's impending AEW debut, "most individuals within the company were caught off guard when Rousey appeared on the AEW pay-per-view broadcast."

After her departure from the UFC, Rousey worked for WWE from 2017 to 2023, becoming one of the company's biggest crossover stars. She had made sporadic wrestling appearances outside WWE in ROH and on the independent circuit, with her most recent match coming in November 2023.

The 39-year-old entered the ring while "Timeless" Toni Storm was celebrating her win over Marina Shafir to retain her AEW Women's Championship. Security stopped Rousey and Storm from confronting one another, but Storm was later attacked by Shafir, who is Rousey's real-life best friend.

Rousey took to Instagram to celebrate her AEW debut, calling it a "dream come true" to flip the bird at wrestling fans.

"Gotta say I've always wanted to flick off a pro wrestling crowd and to do it with my best friend in the whole wide world @marinashafir was a dream come true - @aew you're doing the lord's work, keep it up," she wrote in the caption.

AEW CEO Tony Khan addressed Rousey's debut in the post-show media scrum.

"Ronda is a really good friend of Marina Shafir and Marina brought her in as backup," he said, per Carrier. "You know everyone was banned from ringside so that match was a great wrestling match. I thought Toni and Marina Shafir was a great wrestling match. They're gonna have a no holds barred fight on Wednesday night."

Khan added that Rousey has a home in AEW if she chooses, saying, "Ronda has wrestled for us before and we have a great relationship with her and she's always welcomed here."

Rousey is gearing up for her first MMA fight since 2016 against fellow pioneer Gina Carano on May 16 on Netflix under Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions. Her AEW debut signifies that she's ready to continue making her mark across combat sports. Her new co-workers could also have the chance to watch her return to MMA.

"If anyone from AEW wants to be at her fight, they are welcome to be there. She invited me and it sounds like we are going to be there," Khan said.